“We were cuddling Skye when she passed away. This was the worst moment in our lives. I have
never ever felt heartbreak like that before. But I am proud that she fought for so long to spend time
with us.”
Callie was one of three sets of twins staying in the NICU while they all recovered from being born
prematurely.
“Most of the nurses were aware of what had happened, but as time passed, people stopped talking
about Skye. After about four weeks, everyone acted as though nothing had happened, meaning the
families around me had no idea about our situation,” Smith recalled.
Innocuously, Smith was told that she was “so lucky” not to have twins by a frazzled mother whose twins
were also in the NICU.
“None of the other parents knew what had happened or anything about Skye. The comment was
completely innocent and more out of humor…They weren’t to know that I did at one point have
two.” Smith continued, “But the comment nearly broke me. I ran out [of] the room in tears and they
had no idea why. I didn’t have the heart to tell them what had happened. A simple sticker would
have avoided that entire situation.”
Smith then knew she had to make something that would speak for parents who had just lost a child so
that this kind of miscommunication would never happen again.
She created a poster for the neonatal intensive care unit to inform staff and visitors that a purple
butterfly on the incubator indicated the loss of one or more babies in a set of multiples.
“I chose butterflies, as I felt it was fitting to remember the babies that flew away, the color purple
because it is suitable for both boys or girls,” said Smith.
The Skye High Foundation, which oversees the purple butterfly initiative, has helped expand the idea to
hospitals in many different nations.
Callie, now 7, is full of life and joy, and her memory continues on in purple butterfly cards and other
programs to support families who have lost a baby like Skye.
BEAUTY Contact: [email protected]
14/04/2026 11:39 If You See A Purple Butterfly Sticker Near A Newborn, Here’s What It Means
https://beauty.thebustednews.com/p/if-you-see-a-purple-butterfly-sticker-near-a-newborn-heres-what-it-means-11301?utm_source=ctvvan_anh&… 4/29
Purple butterfly merchandise currently includes a wide variety of gifts and accessories.
“Ultimately I will never be able to stop this from happening, but the more support groups we can set
up and put things in place like the stickers the better it will be. It’s the hardest thing anyone has to
deal with,” Smith said.
The world is fortunate to have compassionate people like Millie Smith who are working to ease the
If You See A Purple Butterfly Sticker Near A Newborn, Here’s What It Means
